To Be A Bhaalspwan
by thesavorofpan
Summary: A collections of small events explaining the Paladin's path to redemption beginning in Irencuis's chateau. Mainly through the protagonist view point. ProtagonistxImoen ProtagonistxAerie(one sided) ProtagonistxViconia. I don't know how long this will actually be.
1. The Pink Hair Thief

To Be a Bhaalspawn

By Troy Hedding

The Pink Hair Thief

This man or devil was speaking to him, but he wasn't really listening. He had only recently awoke from a restless sleep in the dingy cell that this devil man had kept for him. This devil man refereed to the fact that he was one the many children of Bhaal the lord murder who was killed during the child of troubles. The devil man wanted to continue his experiments the pain was only minor and the Paladin in the cell had felt worse pain then this before. He use to resit the experiments, but that was before he saw red mixed with the pink of his childhood friend. The only family he had left.

"More intruders have enter the complex master!" A rather large golem shouted interrupting the devil man's experiments.

The Paladin watched as the devil man worked his magic and vanished from sight. A few moments later a pink hair women enter this prison from a side door. She was dirty her black and yellow out fit showing that she had been here for a long time. She quickly moved to the Paladin's cage and she pulled an lock pick from her hair for a brief moment the Paladin could see a scar on her forehead. It made him flinch, but the pink hair thief didn't seem to notice.

In a quick few seconds the pink hair thief had the cell door unlocked and opened for the Paladin. The pink hair Thief was trying to get the Paladin to move, but he wouldn't move. The Paladin didn't believe that this pink hair thief was real. She wouldn't come to rescue him not after what had happen.

"Wake up, you! Wake up! Come on you we have to get out of here!" The pink hair thief shouted and the Paladin stare at the pink locks on her head. They went down a little past her face line. The Paladin could remember when her hair was much longer, but the pink hair thief had to cut it. Still she was beautiful even if her was face covered in dirt.

"Imoen, is that you...?" The Paladin said his voice barely above a whisper.

"He really did mess with you?" Imoen said to the Paladin her voice betraying her surprise. The Paladin wonder whether or not that Imoen had some high image of him. What a stupid girl...

"Of course he did." Imoen said to him and the Paladin could sense the bitterness in her voice.

"It doesn't matter, we have to get out of here!" Imoen shouted and the Paladin agreed completely with his childhood friend.

The Paladin stepped out of the cage and with he step the pounding headache followed him. He needed to think. What to do...What to do. He rubbed his aching forehead.

"You have the headache too, huh?" Imoen said as stared at the Paladin.

"We can't do this on our own and weapons we need that." The Paladin said as he was getting better control over the situation.

"I know that Minsc and Jaheira cells are located at the north end of this room while I saw some gear in the room I past to get here." Imoen said and the Paladin was half listening to what she was saying.

For some reason he couldn't explain he wanted to get back into the cell. What would he be made to do if he anger that devil man? But the Paladin shook his head in attempt to remove that kind of thoughts. If the pink hair thief had to find away to escape this place by herself could she do it? Would she get hurt? What would happen to her if she did escape would the devil man chase after her?

"Why are we just standing here! We need to get moving!" Imoen shouted startling the Paladin from his thoughts.

The Paladin slammed the cell door shut. He would go with the pink hair thief He would protect her. His childhood friend would be safe. It was the least he could do for her after all...


	2. The Bastard Sword

The Bastard Sword

The Paladin watched as Minsc shouted to his pet hamster Boo that he had found a two handed sword on the table of weapons. The Paladin shook his head at the strangeness that was this ranger, but The Paladin was much more concern with the pink hair thief as she was busy studying a painting against the wall. Supposedly there was something behind it that could be useful to the four of them minus the Druid who was still in her magically locked cage.

The Paladin wanted the pink hair thief to wear a bit armor, but that prevented her from casting spells she would need for combat. It brought a smile to the Paladin's face as he could remember the look on Gorion's surprised face when he told his foster father that he would not follow the path of magic, but would follow the path of a righteousness Paladin under the guidance of Helm. But Gorion was dead killed many years ago.

The Pink hair thief let out a joyful chuckle as she had disarm the trap on the painting and revealed a secret lock behind it. The Paladin smiled a little as he strapped on his armor. He could remember the lessons during his period as a squire. Back then he had dreamed of smiting evil in the name of good. He had smite his evil half brother Sarevok. In doing so the Paladin had saved the lives of millions and prevented the second coming of his father Bhaal. But as he stared at the pink hair thief as she studied a dagger that she had found in the safe behind the painting. He looked back at his hand realized that he wasn't as righteous as he claimed to be

The Paladin grabbed a bastard sword that he found laying across the table full of weapons. It was just a normal sword. Not the powerful sword that he had use to put an end to his half brother. But the Paladin felt it would do for his present needs. He asked for the dagger in Imoen's hand. She gladly handed it over to him. She didn't have to tell the Paladin that this dagger had a little bit of magic into it. He smiled at the tiny weapon realizing that it would make a perfect weapon for his off hand.

The Paladin could remember all the hours that he had practice his blade work back in Candlekeep. The Paladin remember how it only improved when he was force into the life of an adventure after the murder of his foster father. The Paladin sheathed his weapons and picked up a weapon for the cage Jaheira. Underneath the scimitar that he found a key. He suspected that it was the key to free Jaheira.

"This is just perfect for cutting people down to size." Imoen joked and The Paladin chuckled bit. The pink hair thief was always this cheerful as long as he could remember.

But the Paladin shook those thoughts from his head. Memories wouldn't help him here. Because it didn't matter that he had a late foster father. It didn't matter that he killed his evil half brother and saved countless lives. It didn't matter if he didn't have faith in Helm or his own righteousness. All that mattered was protecting this young women. The Paladin gripped the handle of the bastard sword tightly knowing fully well that this weapon would do wonders for that.


	3. The Scratch

The Scratch.

Death was imminent, but the Goblin would have never realized as the Paladin's thrust was too fast for the Goblin to position it's crude ax into a defensive position. The tip of the Paladin's sword ripped though the ragged clothing of the Goblin and into the stomach of the poor creature. It gasped in pain as the Paladin pushed the dying creature off his blade. It fell to the side and The Paladin moved onto the next goblin without a second thought. This Goblin was able to swing it's crude ax at the Paladin. The Paladin dodged the wild downward swing before using his sword to knock the goblin's sword arm out wide. The goblin was too slow to recover as the Paladin stepped in close and slashed open the creature's neck with his small dagger.

The goblin fell to his knees clenching with his free hand trying to stop the bleeding in a futile attempt to save it's pitiful life. The Paladin was going to move onto another Goblin but he noticed that Jaheira had recently landed a killing blow on the goblin that she was facing. While the wild Ranger had just separated a Goblins head from it's shoulder. Imoen had moved onto the archers startling the closet by slashing open it's stomach. It screamed in pain before it fell to the side in it's dying moments. The other Goblin archer screamed in horror and threw it's crude dagger in a fit of panic.

Imoen was put off by the awkward throw and was nicked on her right arm. For a moment the Paladin saw red and when the red vanished his dagger had left his hand and implanted itself firmly into the stupid beast chest. The Paladin stormed over to the corpse and pulled out his dagger. The pink hair thief looked at the nick and thought nothing more of it. These tiny wounds were just a haphazard of small skirmishes like this.

"You're hurt..." The Paladin said reaching out for her arm. Imoen backed away with a frantic look on her face.

"Don't touch me!" Imoen shouted startling the party except for the Paladin.

"But your hurt..." The Paladin protested. The Paladin's hand was still reaching for her.

"It's just a scratch. I'm fine, so lets just get out of here okay?" Imoen said crossing her arms in front of her chest. The Paladin lowered his hand.


	4. A Moment of Rest

A Moment of Rest

The Paladin grunted along with the wild Ranger Minsc as they moved a shelf in front of the door. Both Jaheira and Imoen needed to rest to regain their magical energies. The Paladin suggested of barricading a room. Allowing three people to rest having the guard shift every two hours for six hours. Jaheira worried about her husband still manage to fall asleep pretty fast. The Paladin was about to suggest to take the first watch when the pink hair thief insisted that she take the first watch.

The Paladin shrugged at Minsc before he threw his pack down and lay down. Surprisingly he found that he was able to get a moment of rest on the hard cold ground. He didn't know how long time had past but he opened his eyes when he felt a weight on his chest. He was suspecting an enemy, but instead he found the pink hair thief looking down at him in disdain.

"Imoen...?" The Paladin said barely above a whisper. The Paladin's hone fighting instincts were screaming at him to get this girl off him. She was planning something dangerous.

But the Paladin couldn't move. He wasn't held by the woman's magic. It wasn't that. It was the look on her face. That look of disdain. His childhood friend hated him. Her hands slowly moved to his neck. Her hands were cold and they were shaking. He didn't move to stop her. She knew that she hadn't cast any spells to hold him still. Her face twisted in confusion as she started to squeeze and the Paladin didn't resist her.

"Why aren't ye fighting back?" Imoen sneered at him and she loosen her grip to let him speak.

"I don't want to hurt you." The Paladin said with a sad smile on his rugged face.

Anger flashed on the pink hair thief and she raised her right hand. It came down as a fist upon his face. The Paladin grunted a bit in pain before another fist rained down upon him. Two more followed that before she grabbed his throat again. But she didn't squeeze this time. Her shoulders were shaking and he stared up at her. She was trying to hold back tears. But the Paladin knew it wouldn't be long before her armor would break and the tears would burst forth. The Paladin raised a hand to touch her face gently. She didn't resist it.

"Why can't I stay calm without you?" Imoen demanded and the Paladin didn't have an answer for her.

"...First.." Was the only word the Paladin could make out as the Pink hair thief was speaking to softly for him to hear her.

But she didn't need to say anything. The Paladin already knew what she was talking about.

"I'm so confused..." The Paladin heard the pink hair thief say as she moved off of him sitting next to him wrapping her arms around her knees.

"I love and hate you at the same time." Imoen said her voice emotionless.


	5. I Can't Look in Her Eyes

I Can't Look in Her Eyes

"Protect me!" An gentle voice shouted to the Paladin as he stepped into a wooden path.

"Yes, help us!" An second different gentle voice shouted to the Paladin.

"Free us!" A third voice shouted to the Paladin.

The Paladin looked at the three beautiful Dryads in front of him. They were opposite to this little piece of hell that the Paladin was trying to escape from. It was almost like they didn't exist. Something this beautiful wouldn't exist willingly in this place.

"We are his possession, his concubines, and his servants." One of the Dryads said as if she was reading the Paladin's mind.

"Why would he keep something like you?" The Paladin asked and the prettiest of the Dryads stepped forward and looked at the Paladin.

"He needs us to bring life to his emotions." The Dryads said and the Paladin felt uncomfortable under her gaze.

"So you do have our Acorns after all." The Dryads said and The Paladin jumped back as she reached for his pants pocket.

"It doesn't work. Whatever you do. It doesn't work." Imoen said as a matter of fact and The Paladin looked at the Pink hair thief.

"He has done things to you too." One of the Dryads said as a matter of fact. The Paladin hands clenched at his sides.

"Please kind sir take these acorns to our queen." The lead Dryad said and the Paladin nodded his head yes.

"I will rescue you three! Don't worry I won't fail in my mission!" The Paladin shouted more for himself then the three trapped Dryads.

As the lead dryad continued to speak The Paladin stared at the pink hair thief as she was stuck in the conversation. Conversation about this devil man whose name was Irencius and about how he was searching for something within Imoen. Imoen mention dreams of when she was younger. But the Paladin knew before Imoen said it that she didn't dream anymore. He no longer dream ether. In the beginning he dreamed that he had won the battle against his captor and that his childhood friend didn't suffer. But that all changed when Irencius had him do things. Do things as a Paladin he should have never down. The Paladin smiled to himself and thought it wasn't a wonder that his god Helm had abandon him in this dungeon

"When can we go home?" The Pink hair thief pleaded to him.

"Soon." The Paladin told her looking away from her. He didn't want to look at her when he was lying. Because The Paladin was sure that they would never go home.


	6. The First Kill

The First Kill

The Paladin stared in confusion as the elven female shouted this incoherent mess at him. She was screaming about something being her, but not her at the same time. Minsc was trying to calm the lady down is own little way, but she wouldn't listen she would only continue her rant. Jaheira tried a much logical approach, but it was useless this woman's sanity was gone if she had ever had it to begin with.

Sensing danger the Paladin moved first covering the distance between him and the Elven female. She had begun to cast some simple spells, but before she could get any serious spells off the Paladin's blade had pierce her stomach. She looked at the Paladin in shock and horror as he nonchalantly pushed the women off his blade. There was a part of him that felt guilty for killing this girl, but it wasn't as bad as the first time he killed another humanoid creature.

His mind drifted back to the day that he left Candlekeep. For a reason he no longer remember he went into a normally vacant house. To his surprise there was stranger there who approached him. Something felt wrong to the young Paladin. The stranger was asking about him and the naive Paladin couldn't have known the dangers of the world yet. He answered that he was indeed the person that this man was looking for.

The Stranger launched a stab with his dagger at the Paladin. Surprised, the Paladin was able to pull back enough to just be nick on his cheek. He quickly, but awkwardly pulled out his bastard sword and dagger. The Stranger not willing to give up the offensive launch a quick stab. The Paladin frantically swung his bastard sword diverting the stranger's dagger harmlessly out wide. Swallowing his fear The Paladin stabbed forward with his dagger. He pierced the chest of his attacker.

The Stranger felt limp and the Paladin stared wide eye at the dying man. The Paladin had killed a few Goblins before, but he have never killed another man before. It was different. Though the Paladin knew that in his career path that he would have to eventually kill an wicked man, but it didn't feel right. He didn't know this man. What had he done wrong beside trying to kill the Paladin. He felt sick as he let go of the dagger and the stranger fell back quite dead. The Paladin nearly collapsed as he fell against the wall. He vomited his breakfast.

The Paladin stared down at the dead eleven female. He wouldn't puke this time. How many people had he killed since that day?

"There was nothing you could have done." The Druid said to the Paladin believing that the righteous leader felt guilty about this kill.

"Don't blame yourself." She went on to say moving closer to him.

"I feel nothing." The Paladin said as he sheathed his sword.


	7. I am a Paladin!

I Am A Paladin!

The world seemed like a blur to the Paladin. The concern words of Jaheira, Minsc and the bounty hunter Yoshimo fell on deaf ears. They had made it out of that prison and into the bright sunshine, but it was all for not. That devil man Irencius had taken her away from him, again. The only reason the Paladin had stepped out of jail cell was because of Imoen. She was his reason for living and now she's gone.

"Pull yourself together!" Jaheira growled at the Paladin pulling him up from his sitting position.

The Paladin could the see the anger upon the druid's face, but it really didn't bother him. He didn't care. He didn't care about any of this. He just wanted to die. He was a useless Paladin who couldn't even protect his best friend. As the druid continue to shout words that passed through the Paladin he saw a child crying. He was only about fifteen feet away from the four of them.

Stronger than the druid could ever be he easily pushed the druid away from him. She looked at him surprised and called out to him, but he didn't answer he focus on the crying child that everyone seemed to ignored. He made a determine path and the others followed when they noticed the crying boy too.

The Paladin bent down to the child's eye level and looked him in the eye.

"What's the matter?" The Paladin asked his voice soft.

"My momma went into the tent to see the show, but something bad happen in there and now the guards won't let anybody in there! But my momma is in there!" The boy cried and the Paladin's visage soften.

"Don't worry little boy, I'm a Paladin." The Paladin said as he patted the boy's head softly.

"A Paladin?" The boy asked confused

"You do know what a Paladin is right?" The Paladin asked and the boy bit his lower lip.

"You're a good guy, right?" The boy said with a cheerful smile and the Paladin nodded his head.

"You'll rescue my momma right?" The boy asked and the Paladin nodded his head yes.

"I'm a Paladin so of course I will. So you'll have to be brave until I return with her, okay?" The Paladin said and he turned toward the circus tent. He took a deep breath. He would save this boys mother. Even if he couldn't save the pink hair thief.


	8. The Dead Gnome and The Wingless Elf

The Dead Gnome and The Wingless Elf.

The minor magic of the so called powerful Kalah barely fazed the Paladin as he ran through the barrage shrugging off the minor pain that the Kalah's magic missiles inflicted. The ogre mage begun to cast another spell and from the Paladin's left hand he launched his dagger that the pink hair thief had found for him. The Paladin wasn't aiming for a kill, but just a distraction that would interrupt the mage.

Kalah spell was interrupted when he shifted to dodge the flying dagger. Kalah wanted to launch into another spell, but the Paladin had close the distant between the two of them. He swung his fail clumsy and the Paladin easy dodge to the side cutting the ogre mage's right ham string as he passed. Kalah screamed in pain and fell to his knees. Sensing danger Kalah turned to swing his fail at the Paladin, but he wouldn't be able to bring his weapon to bare because the Paladin's bastard sword pierced his right kidney.

With a grin the Paladin pulled out his bastard sword and was about to strike again, but there was a large amount of magical energy being released. Smoke filled the room and the Paladin jumped back putting distance between himself and the ogre mage. When the smoke cleared the throne room he was battling in was now just an ordinary circus tent and the ogre mage Kalah was returned to his original gnome self. The floor under him was covered with the Gnomes blood.

"No!" Kalah shouted with a cough.

"This isn't what was supposed to happen! This isn't what was promised to me! I have...planned this for...too long only to have my plans shattered by some inbred, northern adventurers! I...I just wanted to be respected..." The dying Gnome said as he stared at the Paladin with all the hatred he could muster.

"You've...you've killed me...destroyed Kalah with your misplaced morals and beastly greed for adventure!" The Gnome shouted.

"Shut up, Gnome you'll be dead soon." The Paladin said as he stared at the gnome with disdain.

The Gnome was still speaking in his last moments, but The Paladin no longer was paying attention to him. The Paladin was looking for the dagger he had thrown, but with no luck he was unable to find it. A frantic women rushed over to him.

"Have you seen my son?" The women asked and the Paladin raised a curious eye brow.

"He wasn't in the tent when this madness happen." The women explained and The Paladin smiled at her.

"He's waiting for you outside, milady." The Paladin said and the lady thanked him before rushing off.

The Paladin watched her run off. He felt good. He had defeated an evil and save the day. He felt like a real Paladin. But it wouldn't last as the winged elf Aerie approached him from behind. She was speaking about how her uncle suggested that she should travel with him and maybe then her scars could heal. The Paladin didn't know what she meant about scars, but as stared at the beautiful elf with her long blonde hair and slender body. She was smiling at him waiting for his answer. The Paladin knew that he would never be able to have her. Not after...The Paladin smiled at the elf.

"Of course you can." The Paladin said with a smile. It would be good for him to have a constant reminder of what could have been. The Paladin was sure it would keep him on the right track. And maybe just maybe everything would be alright, but the Paladin wasn't naive.


End file.
